diff --git a/file-layout.txt b/file-layout.txt
index 72e2583..de413c3 100644
--- a/file-layout.txt
+++ b/file-layout.txt
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@
 
 		Service Only
 			These files should not contain RPC. This is to remove the likelyhood of rpc blocking. Since the main app
-			is not able to respond to its own RPC
+			is not able to respond to its own RPC.
+			Files may contain DB code.
 				
 				./svc/main.php
 				./svc/db-reads.php
 				./svc/db-writes.php
+				./svc/file-line-reader.php		- might contain some generally useful file access, may want to extract
+
 	
 		Service Child Process Only
 			These files can have both database and RPC. This is because the child has been forked from main and is a legitimate
@@ -30,8 +33,9 @@
 		general nature.
 
 			./shd/common.php	(some old code needs to be removed)
-			./lib/time.php
-			./inc/paths.php	(this will be upgraded and likely split into path-files specific to each section)
+			./shd/backup-funcs.php
+			./inc/paths.php	(auto-generated file: this will be upgraded and likely split into path-files specific to each section)
+
 	
 	Web-server Files
 	----------------
@@ -39,12 +43,13 @@
 		These files specialise in handling the GUI, browser interaction using JS and HTML and session life-cycle.
 		No DB code allowed here. All calls but go via RPC to main.php.
 			
+			./phpinfo.php	
+			./post_handler.php
+
 			./inc/bu_list_content.php
 			./inc/secure.php
 			./inc/pagemap.php	
 			./index.php
-			./phpinfo.php	
-			./post_handler.php
 			./inc/new-file-bu.php
 			./inc/login.php
 			./inc/edit-sh-bu.php
@@ -52,7 +57,9 @@
 	Libraries
 		
 		(included as required)
-		./lib/sysVcom.php
+		
+			./lib/sysVcom.php
+			./lib/time.php
 
 		
 	
diff --git a/html/inc/pagemap.php b/html/inc/pagemap.php
index 2155037..38e3d19 100644
--- a/html/inc/pagemap.php
+++ b/html/inc/pagemap.php
@@ -14,8 +14,12 @@
 function invokeCommand( $cmd, $postvars ){
 		
 	
-	if( $cmd=='backup-list-state' ){
-		//include_once __DIR__ . "/bu_list_content.php";
+	if( $cmd=='bu-test-file-lines' ){
+		sendHtmlOk_WithData( rpc( 'f:bu-test-file-lines', $postvars['buid'], $postvars['from-line-num'] ) );
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	if( $cmd=='backup-list-state' ){		
 		sendHtmlOk_WithData( [ 'state', rpc( 'f:getbu_list_state' ) ] );
 		return true;
 	}
@@ -58,7 +62,9 @@
 
 	if( $cmd=='btn_run_bu' ){
 		
-		$res = rpc( 'f:kickoff-backup', $postvars['id'], $postvars['isTest'] );
+		error_log( "test is " . $postvars['isTest'] );
+		
+		$res = rpc( 'f:kickoff-backup', $postvars['id'], 'true'===$postvars['isTest'] );
 		
 		//originally when this was handled by a bash script, the results would have been complex. The return
 		//values could have been error, done or running.
diff --git a/html/inc/secure.php b/html/inc/secure.php
index 9995011..7e1b91a 100644
--- a/html/inc/secure.php
+++ b/html/inc/secure.php
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 		exit;
 	}	
 
-	include_once "../shd/common.php";
+	include_once __DIR__."/../shd/common.php";
 	include_once "login.php";
 	if(authenticate( $_POST['username'], $_POST['password'], $_SESSION['svr_nonce'] ) ){
 		
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 // likely that the page was just refreshed
 // --- Send back the login page ---
 
-include_once "../shd/common.php";
+include_once __DIR__."/../shd/common.php";
 $_SESSION['svr_nonce'] = generateNonce();
 
 include_once "login.php";
diff --git a/html/js/main.js b/html/js/main.js
index 5e0a3d7..cd576a9 100644
--- a/html/js/main.js
+++ b/html/js/main.js
@@ -180,13 +180,19 @@
 		return;
 		
 	case 'btn_run_bu':
-		if(instrArr.length==2 && instrArr[1]=='noTest'){
+		bIsBuTest = (instrArr.length==2 && instrArr[1]=='noTest');
+		if( bIsBuTest ){
 			map_params.set('isTest', 'false' );
 		}else{
 			map_params.set('isTest', 'true' );
 			console.log("running a test backup");
+		
 		}
 		exec_instruction( instr, map_params );
+		
+		if(!bIsBuTest){
+			monitorBuOutput( true, id, -1 );
+		}
 		return;
 	
 	case 'delete-bu':
@@ -295,44 +301,46 @@
 			return;
 		}
 		
-		switch(instr){
-		case 'btn_run_bu':
+		bu_result = data[1][0];	//was it ok or err?		
 		
-			if(data[1][0]!='ok:'){
+		switch(instr){
+		case 'btn_run_bu':		
+						
+			if(bu_result!='ok:'){
 				//latest msg contains similar format as used by the server rpc layer
-				console.log("odd message: " + data[1][0] );
+				console.log("odd message: " + bu_result );
 				console.log( data );
 				return;
 			}
-			bu_status = data[1][1];
+			bu_status = data[1][1]; //extra info
 			
-			if(bu_status=='done'){
-				// this comes from the test run, although I should really explicitly send back the 'test' flag				
+			if(bu_status=='running'){
+
+				// is it a test run? -  by rights, I should send back the 'test' flag				
 				let elem = document.getElementById( "ta_testoutput" );
 				if(elem==null){
-					console.log( data );
-					return;
+					//not a test - set the tick	
+					let elem = document.getElementById( "td_run_" + id );
+					elem.innerHTML = "<img id=\"td_run_\"" + id + " src=\"img/green-tick.png\">";
+					
+					//ensure the state map is also adjusted
+					for( j=0; j<g_bu_list_state.length; j++){				
+						if(g_bu_list_state[j][0]==id){
+							g_bu_list_state[j][1] = 1;
+						}
+					}
+
+				}else{
+					//test run
+					setTextAreaFromArray( elem, bu_result + " " + bu_status );	
 				}
-				setTextAreaFromArray( elem, data[1] );
-				return;
-			}
-			
-			if(bu_status!='running'){
+				
+			}else{
+				
 				console.log("unknown message: " + bu_status );
 				console.log( data );
-				return;
 			}
 			
-			//set the tick	
-			let elem = document.getElementById( "td_run_" + id );
-			elem.innerHTML = "<img id=\"td_run_\"" + id + " src=\"img/green-tick.png\">";
-			
-			//ensure the state map is also adjusted
-			for( j=0; j<g_bu_list_state.length; j++){				
-				if(g_bu_list_state[j][0]==id){
-					g_bu_list_state[j][1] = 1;
-				}
-			}
 			break;
 			
 		default:			
@@ -344,6 +352,62 @@
 			
 }
 
+function monitorBuOutput( bMonitor, buid, from_line_num ){
+	
+	if(from_line_num==-1){
+		//first call, just set the timer and give some time for the test to kick off
+		setTimeout( () => { 
+			monitorBuOutput(true, buid, 0);
+		}, 1000);
+		return ;
+	}
+	
+	console.log("Fetch output from line: " + from_line_num );
+	
+	let e_ta_testoutput = document.getElementById( "ta_testoutput" );
+	if(e_ta_testoutput==null){
+		// page gone (should terminate server open file?)
+		return;
+	}
+
+	let map_params = new Map();
+	map_params.set('action', 'bu-test-file-lines' );
+	map_params.set('buid', buid );		
+	map_params.set('from-line-num', from_line_num );		
+	
+	postData( "post_handler.php", function( success, data, m ){
+		//console.log( data );
+		let cnt=0;
+		let rtm_msg = data[1][cnt++]; //'f:bu-test-file-lines'
+		let line_count = data[1][cnt++];
+		let line_data = '';
+		if(line_count>0){
+			line_data = data[1][cnt++];
+		}
+		
+		e_ta_testoutput = document.getElementById( "ta_testoutput" );
+		if(e_ta_testoutput==null){
+			// page gone (should terminate server open file?)
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if(line_count>0){
+			//setTextAreaFromArray( e_ta_testoutput, line_data );
+			e_ta_testoutput.value += "\n" + line_data;
+			
+			setTimeout( () => { 
+				monitorBuOutput(true, buid, line_count + from_line_num );
+			}, 1000);
+			return ;
+		}else{
+			console.log("No more lines to fetch" );
+		}		
+		
+	}, map_params);
+	
+}
+
+
 function valid_btn_login(){
 	
 	let login_name = document.getElementById('login_name').value;
diff --git a/html/shd/backup-funcs.php b/html/shd/backup-funcs.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d399e29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/shd/backup-funcs.php
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+<?php
+
+
+function getFilename_out( $buid, bool $bu_test, bool $isErr=false ){	
+	return getFilename_tmp( $buid, $bu_test?'t':'n', $isErr? 'err': 'op' );	
+}
+
+/**
+ * Create an output file for the backup (forked) process to use. These are essentually
+ * temporary files which may be deleted after the back process completes.
+ * 
+ * buid:	backup record id
+ * 
+ * fn_type:
+ * 	t:	for test files
+ * 	n: for non-test files
+ * 	x: for file exclusion list
+ * 
+ * fn_stream:
+ * 	op: output stream
+ * 	err: error stream
+ */
+function getFilename_tmp( $buid, $fn_type='t', $fn_stream='op' ){	
+	return "bu-$fn_type-$fn_stream-$buid.txt";	
+}
+
+
+?>
diff --git a/html/svc/backup.php b/html/svc/backup.php
index 9e07bda..875dc83 100644
--- a/html/svc/backup.php
+++ b/html/svc/backup.php
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 $g_data_dir="data";
 
+include_once "../shd/backup-funcs.php";
 
 /**
  * Set (unset) the running datbase flag. Return true on success. The flag is
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@
 		return "Could not set the DB flag ";//.SQLite3::lastErrorMsg();		
 	}
 
+	$flags = '-anv';
 	if($bu_test){
 		$flags = '-anv';	// n is the dry run indicator
 	}else{		
@@ -71,9 +73,13 @@
 	$fn_o = getFilename_out( $buid, $bu_test, false );
 	$fn_e = getFilename_out( $buid, $bu_test, true );
 
+	//print("***** output file is $g_data_dir/$fn_o \n");
+
 	// create the output files with the ID in the first line
-	file_put_contents("$g_data_dir/$fn_o","ID: $buid");
-	file_put_contents("$g_data_dir/$fn_e","ID: $buid");
+	file_put_contents("$g_data_dir/$fn_o","ID: $buid\n");
+	file_put_contents("$g_data_dir/$fn_e","ID: $buid\n");
+
+
 
 	if( !file_exists( "$g_data_dir/$fn_e" )){   	  
 	  return "exec failed to create file $fn_e";
@@ -99,13 +105,22 @@
 	}	
 	set_bu_running( $buid, false, $bu_test );
 
+//print("***** command is\n$command\n");
+//print("***** test is ". file_get_contents("$g_data_dir/$fn_o") ."\n");
+
 	// can we find any error strings in the error file?
 	$str_errs = file_get_contents( "$g_data_dir/$fn_e" );
 	$pos = strpos($str_errs, 'error' );
 	if($pos===FALSE){
 		$pos = strpos($str_errs, 'failed' );
 	}
-	if($pos===FALSE) return;
+	if($pos===FALSE ){
+		if(!$bu_test){
+			unlink("$g_data_dir/$fn_e");
+			unlink("$g_data_dir/$fn_o");
+		}
+		return;
+	}
 
 	//place it in the database	
 	rpc( 'f:set_bu_error', $buid, $str_errs );
@@ -169,29 +184,5 @@
 
 }
 
-function getFilename_out( $buid, bool $bu_test, bool $isErr=false ){	
-	return getFilename_tmp( $buid, $bu_test?'t':'n', $isErr? 'err': 'op' );	
-}
-
-/**
- * Create an output file for the backup (forked) process to use. These are essentually
- * temporary files which may be deleted after the back process completes.
- * 
- * buid:	backup record id
- * 
- * fn_type:
- * 	t:	for test files
- * 	n: for non-test files
- * 	x: for file exclusion list
- * 
- * fn_stream:
- * 	op: output stream
- * 	err: error stream
- */
-function getFilename_tmp( $buid, $fn_type='t', $fn_stream='op' ){	
-	return "bu-$fn_type-$fn_stream-$buid.txt";	
-}
-
-
 
 ?>
diff --git a/html/svc/file-line-reader.php b/html/svc/file-line-reader.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..877cc99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/html/svc/file-line-reader.php
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * We only require reading output files during a test run for a client.
+ * The backup thread does not delete test files because it is assumed that the client will
+ * need the file contents during and after the test is complete.
+ * 
+ */
+include_once "../shd/backup-funcs.php";
+
+$open_files = array();	//files are indexed on their backup-id
+
+
+/*
+ * Get or open a file reader. Returns null if the file does not exist.
+ * 
+ * $dataLoc:	the location of the file
+ * $buid:		the backup ID
+ */
+function getObject_outputFile( $dataLoc, $buid ){
+	
+	global $open_files;
+	
+	if( !array_key_exists( $buid, $open_files) ){
+		$fn = getFilename_out( $buid, true, false );
+		$ffn = "$dataLoc/$fn";
+		if( !file_exists( $ffn ) ) return null;
+		$file = new SplFileObject( $ffn, 'r' );
+		$open_files[ $buid ] = $file;
+	}
+	return $open_files[$buid];
+
+}
+
+function closeFile( $buid ){
+
+	global $open_files;
+
+	print("Closed output file for backup($buid)\n");
+	
+	if( !array_key_exists( $buid, $open_files) ) return 0;	
+	unset( $open_files[ $buid ] );
+	
+}
+
+/**
+ * Return the file data starting from the $lineNum given.
+ * 
+ * Return the number of lines read.
+ * 
+ * $lineData: (out) Data as a single string.
+ */
+function getLinesFrom( $objFile, $lineNum, &$lineData ){
+
+	$lineData = '';
+	$cnt=0;
+	
+	$objFile->seek( $lineNum );
+	
+	while (!$objFile->eof()) {
+		$cnt++;
+		$lineData .= $objFile->fgets();
+	}	
+	return $cnt;
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/html/svc/main.php b/html/svc/main.php
index 177ef8b..c28654c 100644
--- a/html/svc/main.php
+++ b/html/svc/main.php
@@ -33,8 +33,11 @@
 include __DIR__."/../inc/paths.php";
 $g_database_path = '../' . $g_database_path;
 
-include_once "db-reads.php";
-include_once "db-writes.php";
+$g_data_dir = realpath( __DIR__."/../data" );
+
+include "db-reads.php";
+include "db-writes.php";
+include "file-line-reader.php";
 
 // get the latest data and cache it
 $g_bu_states = null;
@@ -287,11 +290,26 @@
 	// The idea will be that the indicator before the colon will be handled generically in cases
 	// where it is a simple function call, i.e. 'f:' (provided it is a trusted source and/or has been previously checked)
 	
+	global $g_data_dir;
+	
 	if( 'f:getbu_list_state' !== $obj[0] ){		
 		print_r( $obj );
 	}
 	
 	switch( $obj[0] ){
+		
+	case 'f:bu-test-file-lines':
+		$buid = $obj[1];
+		$lineNum = $obj[2];
+		$lineData = '';
+		$objFile = getObject_outputFile( $g_data_dir, $buid );
+		$cnt = getLinesFrom( $objFile, $lineNum, $lineData );
+		if($cnt==0){
+			closeFile( $buid );
+			return array( 'r:bu-test-file-lines', 0 );
+		}
+		return array( 'r:bu-test-file-lines', $cnt, $lineData );
+			
 	case 'm:fork-complete':
 		//send the same message back to the caller
 		return $obj;
@@ -335,9 +353,7 @@
 				
 	case 'f:kickoff-backup':
 		$buid = $obj[1];
-		$isTest = $obj[2]==1;
-		//caller expects param1 to be one of error, done or running
-		//we've changed this slightly e:Error, ok:, done is not working yet
+		$isTest = $obj[2];
 		return kickoff_backup( $buid, false, $isTest );
 
 	case 'f:set_last_run_date':
diff --git a/notes.txt b/notes.txt
index 8269837..acf63a7 100644
--- a/notes.txt
+++ b/notes.txt
@@ -1,12 +1,3 @@
 Testing Rqd
 -----------
 
-	*	Run now	
-		- failure report etc
-		- file type (incremental)		
-
-	*	Create new bu - file type
-		- test output
-	
-	*	Edit existing bu
-		- test output